“I have had letters and calls from many, many readers whose opinions back up
this report and reveal a lack of interest and even a huge distrust of the web,
and there are probably millions of people who are determined never to consider
even trying to operate a computer.”
I think this is very true. My grandmother has never used anything more advanced than a typewriter and she is very skeptical about the internet.
So why aren’t older people using the web? According to Professor Bill Dutton,
who directs OxIS, trust in the Internet is based largely on experience with this
technology. As he said: “Getting elders to experience the Internet, when they
distrust it, is the central challenge.”
This article from the New York Times talks about what people use their smartphone for. The top reasons are games and weather. This article is very recent and talks about the most common apps used within 30 days.
This article relates to class discussions on social media and the classroom. It was in yesterday's Wall Street Journal's Personal Journal section. Major corporations are turning to universities and colleges to reach a younger, tech saavy generation to market their products. Instructors are anxious to work with these companies to let their students gain experience and knowledge of marketing with the new technologies.
In our discusssion of print vs Internet, this article from April 21, 2011 Wall Street Journal brings up the fact that not just news is affected by this. Large publishing houses are being by-passed in favor of self-published titles. The article states that 15 of the top 50 digital best-sellers at Amazon are those priced at $5 or less.